The Coalition for a Livable West Side, formed in 1981, is a grass roots all-volunteer, community based environmental organization whose members care about the city and protecting a healthy environment.
DOT adds needed safety measures for pedestrians on West 66th and West 61st Street and West End Avenue.
See Upper West Side Pedestrian Safety Plan, November 2007 for full list of recommendations. Report was prepared for Assemblymember Rosenthal by Transportation Alternatives under itsSafe Routes for Senior Campaign. (UWS-ped-safety.pdf)
The irony of the added safety on West 61st Street and West End Avenue, is that DOT removed the pedestrian safety island - West 57th to West 61st St. and West End Avenue to prepare for the “Trump 7-lane roadway on West End Avenue”.
Pictures by Lisa Sladkus, Transportation Alternatives. Thank you Lisa!
New Bill Shutters Illegal Hotels Updated. By Leslie Albrecht DNAinfo Reporter/Producer. July 24, 2010
The city sued the owner of the Dexter House hotel on West 86th Street for operating an illegal hotel in an apartment building, according to the West Side Neighborhood Alliance. (DNAinfo/Leslie Albrecht)
UPPER WEST SIDE - A new law has made it easier for the city to shutter illegal hotels.
Governor Paterson signed the bill Friday, making it illegal to convert apartments into hotel rooms by ruling class A multiple dwellings be rented for no less than 30 days. The move was welcomed by Mayor Bloomberg and by supporters who claim landlords looking to make a quick buck rent out apartments to tourists, pushing out long-term tenants.
State Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal said her Upper West Side district is "overrun" with the hotels.
She posed as a tourist in 2007 and stayed in one of the hotels on 79th Street. "Inside, I saw firsthand what the long-term tenants had to deal with," Rosenthal said in a statement. "Tourists checking in at all times, making noise and traveling freely through all parts of the building that should have been for tenants' use only.”
She added, "Legitimate residents do not deserve to have their homes treated with such disrespect."
Curb Extension On West 75th Street and West End Avenue is here!!!! West 75th Street is getting its FIRST curb extension!! Bravo to the West 75th Block Association which advocated for safer streets a year ago. They originally lobbied for curb extensions on three blocks along the West 75th Street corridor. In talks with the DOT, the decision was made that the SW corner of WEA and West 75th Street was the most warranted. It has been completed. See image below.
What is a curb extension?
• Curb extensions are a traffic calming method.
• They extend the sidewalk or curb line out into the parking lane, which reduces the effective street width.
• Curb extensions significantly improve pedestrian crossings by reducing the pedestrian crossing distance, visually and physically narrowing the roadway, improving the ability of pedestrians and motorists to see each other, and reducing the time that pedestrians are in the street.
• Motorists are encouraged to travel more slowly at intersections or midblock locations with curb extensions, as the restricted street width sends a visual cue to motorists.
• Curb extensions also provide additional space for curb ramps and for level sidewalks where existing space is limited.
• Curb extensions reduce the amount of roadway available for illegal or aggressive motorist activities such as failing to yield to pedestrians, making high-speed turns, and passing in the parking lane.
• It has also been observed that motorists are more inclined to stop behind the crosswalk at a curb extension, and that pedestrians are more inclined to wait on the curb extension than in the street.
Ruling Puts Proposed Sliver Building’s Fate in Jeopardy by Avi - July 13, 2010 at 5:40 pm - “The Board of Standards and Appeals changed its mind on Tuesday, making it less likely that a brownstone at 330 West 86th Street will be demolished to make way for an ultrathin 17-story building.
“After complaints by preservationists, the board said it would pass jurisdiction of the matter to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. In April, the Board of Standards and Appeals had ruled that the Department of Buildings incorrectly said it could restrict the height of the building. The ruling was considered one of the last impediments to the construction of the 17-story building, which would be built on a plot of land just 20 feet wide. The developer, Dark Horse Development, had spent a decade trying to win a fight to build the condo tower.
“This decision vindicates the community advocates who opposed the demolition,” said Council Member Gale Brewer in a statement.”
Coalition would like to thank Assembly member Linda Rosenthal and City Council member Gale Brewer for their outstanding assistance in helping to save 330 W. 86th Street from demolition.
We will let you know what the next step will be in this battle to save this building.
Charting a Better Way for Planning and Community Boardsby Tom Angotti
“We shouldn’t let backroom dealing trump the Uniform Land Use Review process, let zoning trump planning, or let community boards down.” Click on heading to read full story.
M18, M27, M30, B39 and B51: all service will be discontinued.
M8, M21 and M50: weekend service will be discontinued.
M1, M8, M16, M22, M50 and M66: overnight service will be discontinued.
M11, M20, M21, M22, M98, M100 and M116: late night service will end earlier and/or early morning service will begin later.
M6 service will be discontinued with alternate service provided partially by the rerouted M5.
M10 service south of Columbus Circle will be discontinued.
M42 service will no longer operate to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
M98 service south of 65 St will be discontinued; service will no longer stop inside the George Washington Bridge bus station.
M104 service on 42 St will be discontinued.
Manhattan Bus Route Restructuring M1 M3 M5 M6
M5 service will be extended south to South Ferry via 5 Av/Broadway southbound and Church St/6 Av northbound to replace discontinued M6 and M1 service south of 8 St.
M3 service will be rerouted from 9 St and University Place to 4 Av between 9 St and 14 St.
M1 service will be rerouted on weekdays to follow the M2 in both directions north of 8 St (5th/Madison/Park Avs)
M1 service will be discontinued on weekends south of 106 St.
M9 M15 M20 M21
M9 service will be rerouted from Avenue B to Avenue C to replace M21 and will terminate at the VA Hospital at East 23 St (Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town).
M9 service will be discontinued along Water St and in Battery Park City and will be extended along Park Row to City Hall replacing the M15.
M15 service to City Hall via Park Row will be discontinued replaced by the M9.
M21 service will be discontinued north of Houston St (along Avenue C) and extended along Houston St and the FDR Drive to Grand St (M21 service will not run on the weekends).
M20 service will be extended to South Ferry replacing a portion of the M9.
2010/07/30 05:43
New Bill Shutters Illegal Hotels Updated. By Leslie Albrecht DNAinfo Reporter/Producer. July 24, 2010
tly improve pedestrian crossings by reducing the pedestrian crossing distance, visually and physically narrowing the roadway, improving the ability of pedestrians and motorists to see each other, and reducing the time that pedestrians are in the street.